Edo 2016: Where Is The Esan & Who is Talking for the Esan People ?

By Akioyamen Josephine.

It appears that the PDP has decided that it is going to field a candidate from the Edo South Axis of the State. It also appears to me that this tacit arrangement has the backing of all the Esan heavy hitters within the PDP and hence the absence of any Esan politician of note vying for that nomination within the Party.

However, in the case of the APC, it appears to me they are toying with the idea of making their primaries, an all comers affairs such that we have candidates of every stripe, from the Edo South and Edo Central jostling to outmaneuver one another to get the party's nomination. Even though there is a stream of undercurrent that Adam Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State, and a very big factor in who emerges the nominee of the APC has clearly shown his hand by pitching his tent with Godwin Obaseki, a protege of the richest man in Nigeria, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Even in the APC, it seems the Esan has already been clearly outmaneuvered. In the sharing of power in Edo, the Governor of  the State made sure he allocated the Speakership to Edo Central to seemingly and justifiably so, maintains the balance of power in the state and to keep up the appearances that no part of the state is being left behind. But unlike the tenure of the Governor and of his Deputy, the tenure of the speaker, is not terminating at the end of the Oshiomhole's Admin. Therefore, the calculus will be that since the Esan already possess the speakership, it won't be equitable to have them become the governor or the deputy.

The Esan has tried and successfully too to counterbalance this argument with the emergence of Dr. Osagie Ehanire from Edo South as the Minister of State, Health. This argument got under the skin of the Benin, such that when it was yet raging the Benin Leaders of Thought (BLT) under the leadership of the Enogie of Obazuwa and younger brother of the Oba of Benin, Prince Edun Akenzua,had to point out forcefully on Oct, 28, 2015 that the appointment shouldn't be used as an anvil to flatten the ambition of the Benins to produce the next governor of Edo State. However, the Esan voice was heard loudly and Oshiomhole grudgingly backtracked and thrown the primaries open.

But what are the Esan politicians in APC doing? Are they canvassing for any of the Esan gubernatorial candidates? Have they fallen in lock steps to the desires of the Governor?

I once mounted a campaign to stand with Dr. Mike Onolememen until he shows clearly he was not interested. I was supported by a host of my friends from the APC. I hope they are supporting any or every Esan candidate until they say they are not running. It is only fair we do this since PDP has close up it shop against the emergence of a person of Esan stock this year. To do otherwise would be hypocrisy. Esan must not be left out of this game